USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1892 > Part 18
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CHAPTER IV.
HOUSE-OFFAL.
SECTION 1. How to be Kept. - All house-offal and refuse animal or vegetable substances shall be placed in suitable vessels and kept in some convenient place, to be removed by the persons duly authorized for that purpose by the Board of Health. Such vessels shall be kept covered, and shall not be permitted to become offensive.
SECT. 2. Not to be Removed without Permit or Contract. - No person shall remove or carry in or through any street, avenue, square, court, lane, place, or alley, within the city, any house-offal, or any offensive animal or vegetable substance, without a permit from, or contract with, the Board of Health, nor in any manner except such as shall be specified in such permit or contract.
311
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
CHAPTER V.
ASHES AND HOUSE-DIRT.
SECTION 1. Removal of, etc .- Ashes and house-dirt to be removed by the city shall be kept entirely free and apart from offal and filth of any kind, and shall be placed in barrels or other suitable vessels on the outer edge of the sidewalk, on such days and at such hours as the Board of Health shall from time to time designate, by notices left at the dwellings or otherwise.
CHAPTER VI.
DEAD ANIMALS AND OFFENSIVE SUBSTANCES.
SECTION 1. Not to be thrown upon Ground or into any body of Water. - No person shall deposit and leave exposed upon the sur- face of the ground, nor put into any body of water, in the city, any dead animal; nor shall any person throw or put into or upon any public or private way, lot of land, or body of water, any slops, decayed vegetables, fish, or other offensive substance whatsoever.
CHAPTER VII.
COLLECTING GREASE.
SECTION 1. Permit for. - No person shall collect or remove from any dwelling-house or other place in the city any grease, or refuse fatty matter, without first obtaining a permit so to do from the Board of Health, and in all respects complying with the conditions of such permit. All such permits shall expire on the first day of May, annually, and may be revoked at any time by the Board of Health; and no person shall receive such a permit without first paying to the clerk of said board, for the use of the city, the sum of $2.00.
CHAPTER VIII.
GOATS AND SWINE.
SECTION 1. Permit to Keep .- No person shall keep a goat or swine within the limits of the city without first obtaining a permit so
312
ANNUAL REPORTS.
to do from the Board of Health, and in all respects complying with the conditions of such permit. All such permits shall expire on the first day of May, annually, and may be revoked at any time by the Board of Health; and no person shall receive such a permit without first paying to the clerk of said board, for the use of the city, the sum of $1.00 for each goat or swine to be kept. .
CHAPTER IX.
COWS.
SECTION 1. Permit to Keep. - No person shall keep, or allow to be kept, within the limits of the city, in any building, or on any premises, of which he may be the owner, lessee, tenant, or occupant, more than one cow, without a written permit from the Board of Health. Every person keeping a cow shall cause the place where it is kept to be well ventilated and drained, and kept at all times in a cleanly and wholesome condition. Such permit may be revoked at any time when such revocation shall appear to the board to be neces- sary for the public health and safety. All such permits shall expire .on the first day of May annually.
CHAPTER X.
RENDERING.
SECTION 1. Forbidden except at Premises .Assigned .- By virtue of the authority given in chapter 80 of the Public Statutes, the Board of Health of the city of Somerville hereby forbids the exercise of the trade or employment of rendering tallow (other than fresh tallow ), lard, grease, fat, bones, or other refuse animal matter, within the limits of the city of Somerville, except at such places as have been or may hereafter be assigned by said board; such trade or employ- ment being in the opinion of the board a nuisance, hurtful to the inhabitants, and the exercise of which is attended by noisome and injurious odors.
Published in Somerville Journal of March 26, 1892.
313
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
APPROPRIATION FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND EXPENDITURES THEREFROM, 1892.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$8,000 00
Receipts :-
For permits to keep swine and goats and to collect grease, 213 00
rent of land on Melrose street for use for offal 50 00
Total credit $8,263 00
DEBIT.
Expenditures : -
For agent's salary
$1,100 00
collecting ashes
4,375 00
collecting offal
4,283 08
burying dead animals
106 50
vaccine virus
14 99
books, stationery, printing,
etc.
277 30
care of ash dumps
112 25
rent of post-office box
4 00
sulphur .
9 53
oil of peppermint
7 14
fumigating
6 50
filling Wigglesworth-street pit,
25 00
investigation and report upon
alleged nuisances at North's and Squire's factories 500 00
assistance to agent investigat- ing nuisances
56 25
chemical analysis of water ·
8 00
rent of land on Melrose street,
50 00
Amounts carried forward . $10,935 54
$8,263 00
314
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward .
$10,935 54
$8,263 00
bedding destroyed by fumiga- tion
5 00
services of nurse
·
15 00
wagons and sleds
615 00
painting and repairs of same,
160 77
tools
13 25
car fares
36 05
carriage hire
33 00
incidentals
3 15
Total debit
11,816 76
Amount overdrawn
$3,553 76
J. FRANK WELLINGTON, Chairman. CHARLES H. CRANE. A. B. DEARBORN.
315
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
INDEX
TO THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
PAGE.
Ashes .
291
Cows
312
Dangerous diseases
. 296
Death rate, 1892 ( at end of mortality table )
295
Deaths
293 296
Diphtheria
Districts
Expenses
Filling from Somerville avenue
· Glanders
289
Goats .
291
Grease
291
House offal
292 291
Manure
Night soil
293
Nuisances
287
Organizations
287 291
Pedlers
290
Population ( at end of mortality table )
295
Scarlet fever
296
Sewer at Clarendon Hill, West Somerville
289
Sewer outlet, Mystic avenue
289
Slaughtering and Rendering Establishments Swine .
290
Typhoid fever
296
TABLES.
Mortality in Somerville, 1892
294
rates of, in districts, in last ten years
302
Nuisances abated, 1892
288
66 in districts, 1892
305
Principal causes of death, in districts, 1892
303
Scarlet fever, diphtheria, and typhoid fever, 1892
. 300
66
66
deaths in last ten years . 300
-
66
66
66
in districts, 1892
303
66
66
66 in last seven years, 304
289
Permits
301 313 290
REPORT
OF THE
CITY PHYSICIAN.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, February 8, 1893.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, February 15, 1893. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk ..
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN, January 1, 1893.
To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council : -
The following is a summary of my work as city physician for the year ending December 31, 1892: -
Number of visits made, 816.
Two hundred and twenty-four persons have been treated at the office. The number of cases of contagious diseases attended has been exceptionally small, and they are as follows: Diphtheria, 2; * scarlet fever, 14; measles, 5; typhoid fever, 4; pneumonia, 7.
The largest number of deaths is from consumption; out of the fourteen cases treated, twelve have died. The deaths from this disease have, no doubt, been hastened by the unsanitary conditions so often found in and around the homes of the poor, including a lack of proper food and clothing.
Four certificates have been given where persons died unattended by a physician.
One hundred and sixty-two children have been vaccinated.
Number of persons treated at the police station, twelve.
Six women have been attended in childbirth.
Respectfully submitted,
ALVAH B. DEARBORN,
City Physician.
REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, January 18, 1893. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent up for concurrence.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, January 25, 1893. GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
To the City Council of Somerville:
GENTLEMEN, -The trustees of the Public Library respectfully submit the following report for the year 1892: -
The total number of books now belonging to the library is 21,024, showing an increase of 1,305 during the year. Of this a con- siderable number of old books by donation constitutes a portion.
The number of issues of books was 96,311.
The condition of the library and the continued demand for the supply of its wants seem to warrant the trustees in asking for a liberal appropriation. The amount placed in their hands last year proved to be inadequate for the current expenses, and the payment of a number of bills was necessarily extended and the purchase of valuable publications withheld. This state of things arose partially from some confusion in regard to the "dog tax." The amount credited to the library fund was found to be smaller than in previous years, and much less than the trustees had reason to expect. The amount received from the dog tax in 1891 was $2,596.66, while in 1892 only $1,003.97 was received. It will be well in the future to obtain the amount of the dog tax, if possible, before making the appropriation.
There are other causes which will render a larger expenditure to maintain properly the Public Library for the ensuing year unavoid- able : -
1. It has been proposed to broaden and extend its privileges, especially in limiting the age of children at fourteen years, instead of sixteen, who shall be allowed to take out books. It is also proposed
324
ANNUAL REPORTS.
to extend the same privileges to the pupils of the High School and the first class in the grammar schools, irrespective of age.
2. The constant wear and tear of books is always expected, however much dreaded. The incessant use of popular works can have but one result, and that is the annihilation of the material of which they are made, and duplicates must be supplied to repair the loss. This year has furnished no exception to the rule.
3. The attention of the trustees has been called to the injurious effect which the burning of gas has upon the bindings of books, and the suggestion has been made that electric lighting be substituted. A further advantage by such a change will be apparent, as the risk of fire will be thereby diminished. The superiority of electric over gas light will be generally acknowledged. The expense of such a change has not yet been ascertained. A careful estimate will, how- ever, in due time be made of this, as well as of the other items that go to make up the equipment of the library, and submitted later to the City Council.
4. The acquisitions to the library are, with rare exceptions, made by purchase. Hardly a notable donation has been made for many years. The supply for its support must be, therefore, mainly derived from the taxes of property holders. To meet the wants of a · rapidly increasing population, there must be a corresponding outlay.
It is not necessary here to descant on the blessings and benefits which a good and well-ordered public library may furnish to our rapidly growing population. As an important instrument and aid in the education of youth, its advantage will be acknowledged. At all events, it has become an established institution, to be maintained at public expense. The trustees, therefore, can have no reluctance in making this their annual appeal for an ample allowance to be placed at their disposal.
CHARLES S. LINCOLN, President.
December, 1892.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
GENTLEMEN, - The twentieth annual report which I have had the honor of presenting to you shows the condition and wants of the library.
BOOKS.
We have now 21,024 books belonging to the library, 1,427 having been added, and 152 withdrawn during the year. Among books added to the reference library are : " History of the Orders of Knight- hood," " Glimpses of the World," "Century Dictionary," "Dramatic Year Book," " Eminent Scotsmen," " Debates in Massachusetts Con- vention," " Allibone's Dictionary Supplement," "History of Plymouth County," "History of Essex County," "History of Worcester County," " Magnalia Christi Americana," "The Soldier in the Civil War," " History of the Tower of London," " Essex Historical Collec- tion," "New Hampshire Historical Collection," "Photographs of the World," "Dictionary of Hymnology," " Exposition Universelle," "Greek and Roman Antiquities," and others.
For general circulation we have added "Across Thibet," "Journeyings in Persia," "Ceylon," "Palms and Pearls," "Sweden and the Swedes," "Mahdiism," "Messages of the Books," "History of Art," "Dynamo Electric Machinery," "Comparative Embryology," "Studies in Chaucer," "Memorials of Edinburgh," "Three Episodes of Massachusetts History," "Life of Cotton Mather," "Life of Paul Revere," "Memoirs of General Heath," "History of King Philip's War," " Chronicles of the Pilgrims," "Duruy's History of Greece," "Decisive Events," and others.
The number of books purchased is much smaller than usual, owing to the greatly reduced sum available this year for the purchase of books and other necessary expenses.
326
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The library has been open 304 days, and 96,381 books have been given out. For home use, 95,248, and for reference, 1,063.
Through our two agencies 9,729 books have been delivered and returned with but small expense, and in one case received with- out remuneration. The thanks of our committee are due to one who is willing to serve the cause of the library in this way.
CIRCULATION.
The largest number given out in any month was 10,462, in March; the smallest number given out in any month was 6,053, in July.
The largest number given out on any day was 838, on March 19; the smallest number on any day was 131, on July 25. The number of names registered was 1,732. The number of books covered was 14,337.
Eighty-three books have been presented to the library by the following persons : -
C. H. Guild, 1. Mrs. M. Munroe, 1.
Hon. W. H. Hodgkins, 1.
G. A. Gordon, 1.
Boston School Committee, 29.
C. S. Lincoln, 12.
Mrs. H. E. Creighton, 35.
E. B. Stillings & Co., 1.
A. Friend, 1. H. F. Woods, 1.
It is pleasant to know that a book has been read and enjoyed before being presented to the library, where its usefulness will be demonstrated over and over again. We can imagine an interest in the library so great that its shelves might be enriched with many a choice volume, and whole ranges be named ( as they are in some libraries ) for some generous donor. For there is never any danger of a public library being full. Books may accumulate and the building be crowded to overflowing, but the library itself can never be full.
327
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
As there is no limit to knowledge, so there is no limit to the demand for it, and there can never be too many new books to meet the wants of all.
Teachers and scholars are now well supplied with cards. All the pupils of the High School, as well as the highest class of the grammar schools, being allowed to have cards; at the age of fourteen, also, any resident of the city is entitled to a card, in accordance with the new rule of the committee. This rule has but just gone into operation, so that no record of its success can be made.
We always welcome with pleasure the suggestions of those versed in any specialty with regard to the books desirable for us to obtain in their department.
In that way I have found books proposed which might not so soon have been entered in the library, and which were immediately in demand. "Experimental Science " is one such book of which we have more than one copy, and could use twice as many.
"Our Country," by Strong, is another, which, when returned to us, is always commended as the very best of its kind.
H. A. ADAMS, Librarian.
328
ANNUAL REPORTS.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF CITY TREASURER.
CR.
Balance from 1891
$3 48
Appropriation
4,000 00
Dog licenses
1,003 97
Fines .
420 14
Catalogues .
33 90
A. S. Hudson
4 00
$5,465 49
Balance to 1893
335 44
$5,800 93
DR.
Salaries
$2,110 07
Books .
2,112 98
Printing and stationery
269 96
Binding
137 35
Newspapers
12 00
Gas
197 28
Fuel
18 00
Water
29 00
Repairs
9 64
Furniture
102 00
Gas fixtures
130 75
Steam fittings
460 73
Expressing
103 27
Incidentals .
7 90
Branch office
0
100 00
$5,800 93
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, February 23, 1893. Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
Concurred in.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, March 1, 1893. CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS, January 2, 1893.
To the City Council :-
GENTLEMEN, - The committee on highways presents the follow- ing report for the year ending December 31, 1892 : -
HIGHWAYS ACCOUNT.
CREDIT.
Appropriation
$55,000 00
Receipts and credits : -
For labor and materials furnished prior to January 1, 1892, the bills for which remained uncol- lected that day . $263 61
Watering streets account (paving around stand-pipes ) . 109 25
Value of gravel and sand taken from Wild Cat Hill, Value of materials on hand January 1, 1892 · Value of tools and property on hand January 1, 1892, Net profit on tools, property, and materials .
372 86
1,950 85
423 75
11,293 65
1,397 96
Total credit
.
$70,439 07
332
ANNUAL REPORTS.
DEBIT.
Expenditures : -
For laying out Essex, Crocker, Summer streets, Stone avenue and Partridge avenue ( advertis- ing notices of hearings ) $73 90
Construction of Streets : -
Arthur street, Broadway to Bonair, $169 10
Francesca avenue, Elm street to
Liberty avenue . ·
502 40
Green street, Summer to Laurel street ·
396 60
Grove street, Arlington Branch R. R. to Morrison street 104 00
Moore street, Holland to Mead street 825 46
Richdale avenue, Sycamore to
School street 432 10
Tennyson street, Broadway to Med- ford street 814 90
Thurston street, between Medford street and Richdale avenue 176 40
Tremont street, Webster avenue to Cambridge line .
256 00
Winslow avenue, Elm street to Grove street 206 95
3,883 91
street crossings
2,420 73
street signs erected
54 70
Repairs and improvements of streets and paving of gutters in connec- tion with setting of edgestones : -
Arthur street, both sides, Broad- way to Bonair, paving $367 40
Amounts carried forward .
$367 40
$6,433 24
333
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
Amounts brought forward $367 40 $6,433 24
Berkeley street, both sides, near Hersey to Central street, paving . ·
578 20
Broadway, southwest side, Walnut to Cross, paving 503 10
Broadway, southwest side, Nor- wood avenue to Magoun square, paving .
383 00
Broadway, in front of Lincoln School lot, paving .
27 50
Chauncey avenue, west side, Broad- way to Jaques street, paving 137 25
Elm street, west side, Chapel to Summit street, paving ·
140 90
Evergreen avenue, west side, Thurs- ton to Sycamore street, paving .
100 30
Gilman street, north side of estate of Osgood to Jasper street, pav- ing .
97 90
Gilman street, south side, Aldrich to Walnut, paving repairs
233 60
593 35
Green street, easterly side, Sum- mer street to angle, paving
113 00
Grove street, south side, Highland avenue to southwest line of Highland School lot, paving 27 15
Hathorn street, east side, Broad- way to Arlington street, paving, 91 30 Highland avenue, at Highland School lot, paving 41 00
Jaques street, east side, Temple to Grant street, paving ·
104 65
repairs . · .
333 30
Jaques street, west side, Temple
to Wheatland street, paving
232 40
Amounts carried forward .
$4,105 30
$6,433 24
-
334
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward $4,105 30 $6,433 24
Joy street, at Bennett School lot, paving 42 25
Lincoln street, in front of estate of Junkins and als., paving
68 15
Linden avenue, east side, Elm to Summer, paving 397 55
Linden avenue, west side, Elm to Summer, paving repairs .
322 95
442 70
Madison street, north side, School to Sycamore, paving
312 70
Maple street, in front of Jackson School lot, paving 46 70
Mason avenue, paving
48 10
Medford street, west side, Lowell R. R. bridge to Walnut street, paving
251 90
Medford street, in front of A. W. Follett's estate, corner Broad- way, paving
74 00
Montrose street, north side, School to Sycamore, paving .
278 30
Myrtle street, in front of estates Nos. 34 and 36, paving
22 05
Oliver street, north side, Franklin to Glen, paving
160 75
Oliver street, south side, Franklin to Glen, paving .
117 30
repairs .
290 70
Orchard street, south side, Day
street, southeasterly, to Cam- bridge line, paving .
249 40
Orchard street, north side, Chester street, southeasterly, to Cam- bridge line, paving
99 20
repairs .
278 70
Amounts carried forward . . $7,608 70
$6,433 24
335
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS,
Amounts brought forward $7,608 70 $6,433 24
Poplar street, in front of Bennett School lot, paving 59 90
Porter and Carver streets, in front of estate of E. B. Morgan, paving 39 40
School street, in front of estate of O. H. Fuller, near Madison street, paving 24 50
Tremont street, both sides, Web- ster avenue to Cambridge line, paving
333 25
Washington street, north side, Medford street to Lowell R. R. bridge, paving . 100 30
Walnut street, west side, Highland avenue to near Summit avenue, paving 75 91
William street, in front of estate of C. H. Lockhart, paving 34 90
8,276 86
cost to city of sidewalks, the bricks and edge- stones for which were furnished or paid for by the abutters (see Table D at the end of this report) 581 36
repairs of Broadway, from Cross street to Mar- shall street, on account of construction of Broadway Parkway and consequent relaying of street railway . ·
5,272 20
Ordinary repairs of streets :-
Beacon street, Ivaloo to Kent street $857 50
Bond street, Broadway to Heath street 346 00
Central street, Broadway to Med- ford street 800 30
Amounts carried forward .
$2,003 80
$20,563 66
336
ANNUAL REPORT'S.
Amounts brought forward $2,003 80 $20,563 66
Cross street, Pearl to Medford street
449 20
Davis square
387 50
Day street, Davis square to Cam- bridge line 457 70
Grove street, Lowell R. R. to Mor- rison street 229 50
Linwood street, Washington street to Somerville avenue
2,507 60
Medford street, Somerville avenue to Cambridge line
1,408 80
Middlesex avenue, Mystic avenue to Wellington bridge . 1,885 10
Mystic avenue, from near Temple street, westerly 50 feet ·
62 00
Pleasant avenue, Vinal avenue to Walnut street 278 70
Sycamore street, Medford street to Broadway
560 50
general repairs
13,106 76
23,337 16
repairs of stone paving
177 38
removing snow and ice and care of slippery sidewalks . .
1,368 43
repairs of brick sidewalks
360 83
cleaning streets
3,960 25
cleaning and repairing streets after the construc- tion of sewers and catch-basins
171 20
trimming trees
643 20
repairs of Boston-avenue bridge
156 90
taking up old culvert on Somerville avenue
46 88
building retaining wall, Washington street, be- tween Medford street and the Lowell R. R. bridge
760 00
Oliver street, sidewalk assessment
69 40
Tremont street, sidewalk assessment
4 62
Amount carried forward .
$51,619 91
337
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS.
Amount brought forward $51,619 91
Berkeley street, sidewalk, at Hersey street 4 84
Webster avenue, sidewalk, corner Newton street and Webster avenue 31 90
resetting edgestones, Oliver street
65 27
one-half cost of maintenance of Middlesex-avenue bridge, the other half being paid by the town of Medford 604 29
tax on Waltham gravel land
131 75
tax on Wakefield gravel land
32 38
shed at gravel pit
104 54
repairs and water tax at dwelling
at City Farm
$255 16
less rent of same
168 00
87 16
superintendent's salary
1,600 00
board of superintendent's horses
418 31
superintendent's telephone
40 00
books, stationery, and printing
63 25
sundry small expenses
153 88
private work, the bills for which remain uncol- lected
532 46
materials furnished sidewalks account, not paid for 02
Value of materials on hand this day
2,485 00
Value of tools and personal property on hand this day : -
horses .
$3,900 00
carts and implements used with
horses 2,663 00
harnesses and horse clothing 387 00
stable utensils and property
100 00
tools
276 10
stone crusher, engine, and fittings, with bins and sheds . 1,384 75
Amounts carried forward .
$8,710 85
$57,974 96
338
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Amounts brought forward
$8,710 85
$57,974 96
steam road roller .
· 3,503 50
12,214 35
Total debit
$70,189 31
Balance unexpended
$336 41
Labor and materials have also been furnished and property sold, for which payment has been received by the city treasurer, and credit received from other accounts as follows : -
Private parties, constructing driveways and sidewalks, sale of old horses and other property $1,197 94 Watering streets account, paving around stand-pipes, 109 25
Public property account, setting curbstone at Lincoln School .
23 00
Public property account, setting curbstone at Charles G. Pope School
33 10
Sidewalks account, materials and use of horses 1,837 75
Total .
$3,201 04
The profit and loss account on city teams, tools, property, and materials is as follows : -
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